


this walk will be a legend (in the days to come)

by wintae



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Mild Language, Minor Violence, Multi, talks about racism and slavery, yeah this is an avatar au so they fight the Bad Guys and stuff with cool bending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-08
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-09-07 06:47:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8787793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wintae/pseuds/wintae
Summary: Chan begins his training. But, it can't be that simple, right? He's the Avatar; simple was gone from his life the second he breathed fire, changed wind, and molded waves in the Earth Kingdom. 
Alternatively, the story of Avatar Kyoshi's real beginnings.





	

**Author's Note:**

> hahahahahha fuck 
> 
> this is mostly a prologue
> 
> i promise other chapters will be longer

__

 

_Dear baby brother,_

_It’s another letter to write that I’ll never send you._

_Many people think I harbor secret anger towards you- including you, it seems. You didn’t talk to me for a lot of our childhood. I get that you turned off by my generally icy demeanor, but I never held any of my condition against you. Who do I hold it against? I’ll tell you later, because you won’t like to hear it._

_Speaking of icy, how’s life at the North Water Nation? Is that correct? Nation or Tribe? Is the land also called the tribe? I don’t know; I never liked geography class. Not just because I’m bitter, I just hate the class. That teacher was terrible. You never had to go through the hell of school, you lucky ass. I’m not bitter about being a non-bender, but sometimes I wish I have more options in life. I suppose you do, too, huh? It’s Avatar, or death. Do you ever wish you could choose another path? I worry about you. I hope all is well. I wish we were closer. I love you, and maybe I’ll tell you at some point._

_Sincerely,  
Jihoon _

 

_~

 

Chan centers himself, breathing in the way he’s learned since he started training. His uncle was a stickler about it from day one, but as Chan moved past earthbending, he realized how important it was. It was helpful when he could barely control water from his glass. 

 

Minghao understands that piece better than Mingyu does. Mingyu just goes for it from to go off, but it makes sense, since he was the grandson of the previous Avatar. That kind of power rubs off. 

 

Minghao is more zen, more smooth. His actions tend to be somewhat feline- be it walking, waterbending, or pushing Mingyu when he’s being stupid. The exception is when he and Junhui, his nonbender friend, do martial arts. Then, Minghao adopts Junhui’s sharp movements and fiery gazes. Junhui is said to be an orphan that Minghao’s family took in, but his history is somewhat of a taboo. Not much is known besides that he has no family willing to take him in and that he really likes martial arts. Some suspect that he’s not actually a nonbender, but there’s no proof. Chan isn’t one to pry or speculate in general. Jeonghan would probably prod at Junhui more often, but Chan doesn’t feel like it’s his business. 

 

He received a letter from Jeonghan a few days ago, starting with a large amount of messages about how much he misses his little cousin, filling Chan in all the pointless drama he’s missed (they’re earthbender; they don’t have a lot of drama, no matter how much Jeonghan loves it), and ending on well wishes from other friends and family. And of course, “who’s baby are you?” 

 

If Chan doesn’t reply to him ‘Jeonghan’s baby’, he’ll get an earful when he returns home. He should probably start it later. 

 

“Any time now, Chan,” Mingyu calls, stretching his long back. Seungkwan stands in between him and Minghao, looking at his nails and leaning on the rail, butt out. Minghao rolls his eyes and huffs.

 

“Calm down, Mingyu,” Minghao snaps. “Let him have his time.” Minghao is technically the original master, with Seungkwan as the sidekick of sorts, but Mingyu wanted to meet the Avatar and show him the techniques used in the South Water Tribe. He got along well with Chan and a few other people, including most of the parents, but Minghao had some burning issue against him. Chan likes them both, Junhui doesn’t mind Mingyu, and Seungkwan is happy that he laughs at his jokes more than the others do. 

 

“In the real world, there is no time for this shit,” Mingyu grumbles. Seungkwan grunts at that. 

 

“He’s right,” Seungkwan says, looking up at Minghao. Minghao rolls his eyes again, bites his bottom lip, and gives Chan a nod. 

 

Chan lifts water out of the ground and his trial begins. 

 

~~

 

“Good job, man! I’m proud of you! I’d hug you, but you’re sweaty,” Seungkwan congratulates him, offering a high five. Chan obliges, yet is quickly wrenched into a hug from an extremely tall man puppy. 

 

“You’re so good,” Mingyu cheers. “Baby’s all grown up and strong!” He pulls Chan in a headlock and squeezes a little too hard. Chan groans and attempts to wiggle his way out of Mingyu’s grasp, but he was still laughing and grinning.

 

“Make sure to keep practicing, though,” Minghao replies, ever the realist, but he smiles and pats his shoulder after saving him from Mingyu’s grasp. Chan takes that a good sign. Minghao has a nice smile, but it takes a certain environment to get it out of him. He’s a little bit stoic, but he’s hiding a treasure trove of emotions inside. 

 

One time, he couldn’t sleep and went out to Minghao’s kitchen to find him speaking to Junhui in the Mandi dialect. 

 

Before the different benders were separated in a way, a piece of the northern part of the world belonged to a set of people called the Mandons. It was the Mandi region- relatively tribal instead of the more modern power, and spoke a variation of the current language that was a lot harder. Their land was taken over or they were assimilated into the separate nations. There’s a rumor that Mandi families sometimes had multiple types of benders in the family, no matter the origin of the parents. Some families still kept the language alive, as a sort of tribute to their past. Minghao and Junhui both speak Mandi- Minghao has full Mandi parents, and Junhui’s past is still mysterious. Chan wanted to get some water, but Minghao was crying and whimpering in Mandi, and Junhui was comforting him. Chan went back to bed so he wouldn’t intrude, but he couldn’t sleep because they had light in between them and the fire was on the other side of the room. 

 

One time, Chan asked him full out why he hated Mingyu, and Minghao sighed heavily. “It’s complicated.” That translates to ask Junhui, which he hasn’t gone around to doing. 

 

As they separate into their own parts of the house to prepare for dinner, Chan finds Junhui in the kitchen, snacking on some dried fish. When he realizes Chan is in the room, he looks up, eyes wide and mouth in an ‘o’ shape. 

 

“Don’t tell Minghao’s mom,” Junhui pleads as he eats another piece. 

 

“She’s figure it out when most of the dried fish she saved is gone,” Chan points out, and Junhui slumps. He crumbles to bag semi-closed and shoves it back into the cupboard. 

 

“Congrats on completing the trial, by the way.” Junhui pulls out a glass and pours water from the jug on the counter. He spills some and hisses a Mandi swear. Chan lifts the water, clears it out, and sets it in Junhui’s glass. 

 

“Thanks, Junhui. I have a question for you.” Junhui sits down on the table and pushes his hair off to one side. He’s had it long for a while, but he’s been contemplating cutting it. Chan thinks it might suit him better, but Mingyu likes it. 

 

“Shoot.” He takes a sip from the glass and looks expectantly at Chan. 

 

“Why does Minghao hate Mingyu?” Junhui halts his glass on the way to his lips. He sets the glass down and lets out a breath. 

 

“Oh, that’s… He doesn’t hate him, not really. He wants to. He holds some old shit against his grandfather,” Chan widens his eyes. The previous Avatar. “His father was Mandi, and Avatar Jonghyun rejected the culture and slandered them in public because his father wasn’t a good man. That’s part of the whole stigma against the Mandons. Most Mandons consider him a bad figure, including Minghao’s parents. The thing is he thinks he should hate Mingyu, because of his family, but he likes him a lot. Like, a lot.” Junhui puts emphasis on the like. Chan nods and lets out a quick ‘ah’. “Don’t tell Minghao I told you. Or anyone else. It’s hush-hush.”

 

“He should confess to him. I know Mingyu thinks he’s super cute, but he’s pretty sure that Minghao would never like him, so he’s trying to move on. Maybe if…” 

 

“I don’t know,” Junhui replies. “Avatar Jonghyun is the reason Mandons are being forced into slavery in the Fire Nation.” Junhui’s grip on the glass tightens. There’s a tone of intense bitterness that Chan has never seen or heard from Junhui before. 

 

“Junhui?” He turns to Chan with concerned eyes. “You’re not really a non-bender, right?” Junhui’s eyes shoot open. 

 

“Why do you say that?” Junhui asks with emotion dancing in his voice. 

 

“Well, I have a little bit of a sixth sense with this stuff. Also, you made half of the water in your glass evaporate.” Junhui looks down and sees that the glass is indeed still steaming. He takes a sip of the water and burns his tongue a little. He sets it down and sighs. 

 

“I don’t know what to say. You caught me? Don’t turn me into the Fire Nation, but I doubt you would do that.”

 

“Sorry if this is too forward, but do you have firsthand experience on the Mandi slavery in the Fire Nation?” Junhui’s glass starts steaming again, and he won’t meet Chan’s eye. “Nevermind, you don’t need to answer that.”

 

“Sorry,” Junhui replies, looking guilty. Chan pats his back in reassurance. “Maybe someday, though.” 

 

“Are you good?” It takes Junhui a second to realize what he’s talking about. He opens his mouth to speak, but Seungkwan walks in to steal some dried fish. He just nods quickly and dashes out of the room. Chan bites the inside of his cheek, puts away Junhui’s glass, and goes to take a shower. 

 

~~

**Author's Note:**

> feel free to suggest ideas in the comments!!!! <333 
> 
> also yell at me on twit @onjunhui <3 i sort of check it sometimes but i promise i will check it if you mention me


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